There’s something to be said for choosing to make space in the craziness of life for serenity; for actively pursuing the experiences that quieten your busy mind and soothe your spirit…because it’s so easy not to do that. When you have so many plates spinning at all times, like we all do, having time to be still doesn’t usually ‘just happen’—you have to seek it out.
Haylea Lavaring, Wealth Management Client Service Officer, is someone who understands the importance of this balance. Juggling family and work commitments, Haylea chooses to grab her own slices of tranquillity and enrichment.
As often as they can, Haylea escapes with her husband Brett, daughter Rylee (17), son Hunter (15), and daughter Ava (3) to spend time on their hobby cattle farm near Mount Perry.
“I really enjoy the feeling of getting away from the craziness. It’s just so quiet and peaceful out there,” says Haylea.
Haylea’s regular retreats to the family cattle farm are a precious pause from her bustling life.
Haylea joined Ulton almost eight years ago. As Client Service Officer, Haylea’s day-to-day involves working on client files, dealing directly with a lot of clients to process their transactions, and supporting the advisory team.
“It’s a very hands-on and busy job. No two days are ever the same,” says Haylea.
The constant change of Haylea’s role is the very thing that drew her towards it all those years ago.
“I was studying for a Bachelor of Accounting when I started working here,” she says.
“The role came up with the wealth management team when I was about halfway through my studies. I took the role and I just fell in love with it,” she says.
The homestretch of Haylea’s academic studies were eventful in more ways than one. Not only did she begin her new role at Ulton, but she also welcomed a new baby into the world—her youngest daughter, Ava.
“I finished my last three subjects when Ava was born,” says Haylea.
Responding to how she balanced a relatively new job and finishing her capstone uni courses, all while raising two children and bringing another into the world, she says it frankly: “I actually have no idea how I did it.”
Balancing the demands of a bustling home life is no small feat. With three children at different stages of life—Rylee stepping into adulthood, Hunter navigating his mid-teens, and Ava exploring the world with the curiosity of a toddler—both sides of Haylea’s work days are filled with a flurry of activity. From ensuring Rylee and Hunter are on track with their soccer commitments to keeping up with Ava's boundless energy, Haylea is always on the move.
Yet, in the midst of this whirlwind of activity, she finds her moments of peace and stillness, not just on the cattle farm, but in another passion of hers: the exploration of vineyards.
Haylea loves the quieter pace of life in wine country. Her ventures into the world of wine have taken her and her family to some of the most renowned wine regions, the rolling vineyards of the Hunter Valley, the picturesque landscapes of the Adelaide Hills, and the unique cellar door experiences of New Zealand wineries have all been settings where Haylea has found tranquility and delight.
For Haylea, these trips are not just respite from the hustle of daily life, but they’re experiences that combine her love for travel, fine wines, and the calm of being amongst nature.
“It’s also just a good bit of fun,” she says with a laugh.
It's this serene change of pace that Haylea looks forward to as she plans a future road trip to Tasmania. The island's famed wine regions beckon with the promise of new tastes, sights, and moments of peaceful enjoyment against a backdrop of cool climate vineyards.